My Sweetest Downfall
by Charlotte Punta
Summary: While it had been seven years, my body still responded the same way when he was around. It was like if we were in the same room we should be touching because if we weren’t it was unnatural. All Human. E/B, A/J, Em/R.
1. Chapter 1

DISCLAIMER: I don't any of the characters.

Ok I've changed the status on **How did we get here? **To complete. It wasn't originally how I planned it to end but I reread the story and decided that it was an ok place to put it to an end. If anybody wants to continue the story, go ahead.

Anyway this is new idea, just let me know if you think it's worth continuing.

Thanks guys!

- Charlotte.

CHAPTER 1

"Bella come on! It's just one night out with me and Rose, you need a break!"

Alice was trying to get me to come out for the third time this week. And I was again, much to her agitation, refusing.

"Ali, you know I'm stressed with my show opening, once that's over I promise I'll start coming out with you guys again."

I had my first ever exhibition of my photographs opening on Saturday night and I really felt that I didn't have time to be going out. "Besides it's a Wednesday."

Alice looked at me with a sheepish expression, "there's a new club opening and there's this guy..."

"There's always a guy Al," I cut her off.

"There's not _always _a guy," she defended, "and besides this one's special, his names..."

Again I cut her off, "I don't want to know what his name is until you know he's important to you, ok?"

She opened her mouth to argue but shut it again before agreeing, "fine, ok, not until he's important. Got it."

I looked back down at the photo's I was currently studying still trying to make the final decision as to which ones I would put in show. Most had been decided obviously with the show only a few days away, but there were still a few spots that needed filling.

After a few more minutes arguing with Alice, and a heated conversation with Rose over the phone I was finally left to my own devices on the condition that following the opening on Saturday I would be going out with them. Usually I went out with Rose and Alice two or three times a week, being anti-social really didn't work for us, but with my photos going on display so soon the last couple of weeks had been just that for me. And while I missed my friends desperately, and it felt as though the walls of my New York apartment that I shared with Alice seemed to be closing in, I knew that my main focus had to be my work.

I had the majority of the photos that would be going on display framed and packed ready to take to the gallery I was using. I was getting access to the gallery from Thursday night onwards. A glance at my watch told me it was eight o'clock which was enough to remind me that I hadn't eaten in about six hours. Just as I was about to get up to see what I had, my phone when off with a message from my brother.

_Hey sis, _

_if you won't come to the outside world, its coming to you, _

_on my way with Chinese c u :-)_

I laughed and replied quickly

_Thanks Em, sounds great _

_Xx_

Emmett was there within ten minutes and we sat on my living room floor eating the food he had brought with him.

"So, Bells, what's been going on? Haven't heard from you in a few days." Emmett and I were in constant contact, so while for any other person a few days wasn't long not to talk to somebody, for us, it was forever.

"I know, I'm sorry, I've just been so bogged down with the show opening," is looked at him with a sorry smile.

"I know, I've just missed you, we haven't hung out in forever," Emmett replied. I had to laugh at the whininess in his voice. While Emmett was more than two years older than me, it often felt like I was the older sibling. Emmett always needed a little bit of attention to be happy and I realised then that by being so caught up in my work I had neglected to give him that.

"Well it's only a couple more days, and I promised Rose and Ali that I'd go out with them afterwards on Saturday, you should come," I suggested.

Emmett's eyes lit up, "Rosalie will be there?"

I laughed at his expression; Rose had become fast friends with me and Ali once we moved to New York and as long as we've been friends with her, Emmett's had a thing for her.

"Yes she is, maybe this time you could actually ask her out or something," I said with a smile. Em and Rose were always flirtatious with one another but it never went anywhere, and knowing Rose the way I did the only way it would go somewhere was if Emmett made the first move. Rose was a traditionalist when it came to guys; she never moved first.

He looked down at the take out box he was eating from, "yeah, maybe." And knowing Emmett the way I did, it would be a big deal for him to make a move on Rose. While Emmett had no problems getting women, we both knew it was different with Rose and I knew he was probably terrified of being rejected by the women of his dreams.

We ate in comfortable silence for a few minutes while we finished our food. Once we had discarded the take out boxes we sat down on the couch with mugs of coffee.

"So what have you been up to the last few days?" I asked Em.

"Not much, still looking for a job," Em had been looking for a job for a few months now, he hated the job he was at, at the moment and was looking for a job that offered him better hours and pay. "But I caught up with an old friend from school the other day."

"Oh yeah, anyone I know?" I asked, just simply being curious.

Emmett looked uncomfortable for a moment like he had said something he really shouldn't have, he recovered and replied, "nah I don't think so, he was a senior with me." I let it go, but still felt as though his reaction was strange and that he was hiding something from me.

"Anyway it's getting late and I better get going," Emmett said as he stood from the couch. I had found the last couple of minutes very strange and with Emmett rushing to leave it felt even stranger.

I gave Emmett a hug at the door and promised I'd talk to him soon and that I'd see him Saturday night at the latest.

I moved back into the living area to pick up the mugs from our drinks, I took them to the kitchen and made myself a tea before moving to my room. I climbed into bed and by the time I had finished my tea, I was already half asleep.

I woke up the next morning to increasingly common butterflies in my stomach, the day after tomorrow, my show would open. I got out of bed and made my way quietly passed Alice's room, not wanting to wake her. I got to the kitchen and made myself a coffee. I decided what I needed this morning was some exercise so I made my way down to the gym in our apartment building for only the second time this week.

After an hour and a half at the gym I made my way back to our apartment and made myself a fruit smoothie for breakfast before making my way into the bathroom to get ready.

I flat ironed my hair and put on some make up before leaving the bathroom to get dressed. I put on a casual deep purple dress that came to just above my knee and a pair of black pumps on my feet, before grabbing my pale brown suede tote bag and making my way out to the kitchen. Was now nine o'clock and while I had been up for close to three hours Alice was just moving into the kitchen now, and she looked a little worse for wear.

"Morning Ali, rough night?" I asked sweetly.

"Shut up Miss I'm-Too-Busy-To-Come-Out-Anymore. And don't look at me like that; you know that if it weren't for your show you would be looking just like me right now."

I had to give her that, Alice and I were not known for partying half-heartedly, if were gonna do it, were gonna do it properly. And she was right, if it wasn't for work I would have been out with them all night.

I laughed, "I know, I know. I'll call you later, up for some shopping?"I got a smile out of her at least with the thought of shopping. I gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and made my way out of the apartment.

Once outside it didn't take me long to hail a taxi. I had a lot to do today; I had to talk to the caterers who were providing food for my event, I had to go to the framers to make sure that my pictures were framed the way I wanted and to make sure that they were being delivered to the gallery tomorrow morning and finally I had to buy a new dress for the exhibit. I was hoping to get everything else finished so that I could spend more time on this part of my to-do list. I had inherited my love of shopping from Alice; it was actually quite contagious if you got into it, needless to say I was now hooked.

Once I had finished with the framers and caterers it was about quarter to one. I called Alice.

She answered the phone sounding decidedly more cheery than she had that morning.

"Hey Ali, up for some lunch and then shopping?" I asked.

"Sounds great, usual place in twenty?"

"Okay, sounds good, I'll see you soon, hon."

When we first came to New York, Ali and I had found a little cafe in one of the little side streets. They made _amazing _coffee and over the years it had become our "usual".

I made my way into the cafe about fifteen minutes later to find Ali already there.

I sat down opposite her and took a sip of the coffee she had already ordered for me. I smiled over the cup at her with appreciation.

A waiter came and took our order and half an hour later we had finished four cups of coffee and two salads between us.

We made our way out into the street and made our way to the mall a block or so away.

After three hours of shopping we emerged; me with a new dress, heels and a clutch.

We parted ways, Alice having to get pack to work and me making my way home to drop off our purchases. Alice was the manager of a boutique clothing store and was hoping to break through with her own label in the next few years.

Once home I slipped of my stilettos and put Alice's clothes on her bed and put all my new things away. It was five at the moment and the keys to the gallery were being given to me at six oclock tonight till a week from now, the following Thursday. This meant I had them for the duration of the display. I pottered around the house for a little while longer before putting my shoes back on and making my way out side to make the fifteen minute taxi ride to the gallery.

Once I got there it was ten to six and the owner of the gallery happily handed the keys over early.

I was so lucky to have been given these premises, and while it wasn't cheap I was lucky that I had my grandfather's inheritance in my favour. In other words Daddy's credit card was more than easily paying for it. I didn't like to boast about the fact that I was well off, but at times like this I appreciated that the money my grandfather had left Dad's more than paid for me to satisfy my ambitions. I intended that as soon as my work was making what I wanted it to make, I would stop being so reliant on the family gold.

I made my way into the gallery to have a look around the premises and start to get an idea of which photos I would put where.

I left the gallery about seven and made my way back to the apartment, I needed to get a good night sleep; tomorrow would be hectic.


	2. Chapter 2

DISCLAIMER: don't own anything.

**CHAPTER 2**

"No can you just put that one on... actually just don't worry, I'll just do it myself", internally I told myself that if I continued to tell people that, I'd be setting up the whole display by myself and that just wouldn't work in the thirty-two or so hours I had till it opened. Not that I was counting

I tiredly ran my hands over my face, the makeup I'd applied almost five hours ago almost assuredly all gone. I looked at my watch, it was ten o'clock, and I hadn't yet had my morning coffee. I had been at the gallery since six o'clock, no wonder I felt like shit.

I was waiting on someone the owner of the gallery was sending to help with the heavy lifting, I couldn't remember his name but I had my fingers tightly crossed that he was more competent than the five gallery staff that were trying their very hardest to help me at that moment.

Anyway until he (whoever he was) got there we were stuck hanging the small pictures that we could lift, and there wasn't that many of them.

I stepped away from the photo I was currently hanging, finally happy with its position; I'd only moved it three times. It was a black and white picture of the San Francisco Bridge I had taken from the hill before you get on the bridge. It was clichéd, but I'd seen it in plenty of movies and it was enough to make me want to get the exact photo. It wasn't necessarily important to the exhibit but it was one of my personal favourites and I had put it in as an indulgence.

One of the gallery staff members, a girl with long brown hair broke me out of my trance, "umm...excuse me Ms Swan..."

"Bella," I corrected her quickly with a tired smile.

She returned my smile timidly as she continued, "Bella, there's a man out the front that says he was sent to help."

"Okay, thanks....?"

"Ashley" she said quickly.

"Thanks Ashley," I said as I made my way out the front of the Gallery.

The gallery wasn't big, and it wasn't in a great part of town but for my first show I really couldn't complain. my bare feet padded along the white tiles silently as I made my way into the small reception area. I looked around for someone and when I found who was standing there I felt as though the wind had been knocked out of me.

Whoever I had been expecting definitely had not been the person standing in front of me now, and although I couldn't remember the name of the guy that the owner said he was sending I definitely would have remembered his.

He had his back turned towards me, studying a piece of art by an unknown artist which gave me a chance to compose myself.

"Edward Cullen," I said slowly, "what the hell are you doing here?" I said with a disbelieving smile. I was quite impressed with the levelness of my voice; I couldn't help but be quite proud at how well I was hiding my shock. I hadn't seen Edward since my junior year when he graduated and went off to college never to be seen again. Until now.

And _fuck _did he look good. He was only dressed in dark jeans a white top and a dark grey zip up hoodie, but he looked _good. _It was like the several years that had passed were just a matter of weeks because while he had matured, it was like Edward hadn't aged a day since he was eighteen and I knew that he'd be twenty-six by now.

Edward turned to me in obvious shock, apparently not expecting to see me either. Before I knew what was happening I had been swept off my feet and spun around in a tight hug. And my God he smelt good too.

"What am I doing here? What are _you _doing here?!" He sounded undeniably happy to see me, shocked too.

"Well I'm doing my show here" I said as though it was the most obvious thing in the world, I couldn't comprehend that it was just a coincidence that he was here. I mean what are the chances?

"Your show?" he laughed. "I had no idea it was _your _photos going on display. Well Swan, I'm here to help," and he gave me that annoyingly perfectly imperfect smile.

I shook my head, "aren't we a little old to be calling each other by our last names, _Cullen_?"

"Well you know, old habits die hard," he smirked and took another step towards me, "so is this the hello I get after six years?"

"It's actually closer to seven, but hey whose counting?" despite my feigned annoyance I took a step towards him to give him another hug. My heels lay long forgotten somewhere in the gallery and in my bare feet I only just made it up to his shoulder. I wrapped her arms around his neck as his went around my waist and the familiar electrical tingling reached to my toes. "I think you grew again Cullen."

"Nah Jelly Belly, maybe you just got littler," he said with a gentle laugh.

With the sound of my old nick name that Edward and Emmett had used to call me, came a wave of nostalgia from when they were much younger. And with that came the memories that had made me resent Edward in the years since we'd seen each other. In that moment I remembered why I had never tried to get in contact with him.

I withdrew myself from his arms and while my body immediately missed the contact I remembered that I had an exhibit to set up and that I still had no idea how or why he was here. Pushing back my hostility I looked up to him, "what _are _you doing here?"

"Okay I guess I should explain that huh?" he said with a half smile.

"Umm... yeah that would be good," I laughed and pulled him across to the chairs in the middle of the reception area.

"Well, Seattle really wasn't working for me and since I just graduated I figured I could move pretty much wherever I wanted. I only got here a few days ago." It suddenly occurred to me who Emmett had seen the other day, Edward, and that's why he didn't want to tell me who he had spent time with. Edward continued talking despite my mini-epiphany, "and Dad's going to be transferred as head of New York General Hospital in the next couple of months, which means that I'll be able to get a residency there and it means that me and my parents are close which is good because I haven't been able to spend much time with Mum and Dad in the last couple of years. Anyway I ended here in New York. So I'm staying with my friend Jasper, till I get on my feet and I was looking for work anyway Jasper sent me here saying that there was a photographer that needed help setting up her exhibition, I had no idea that the photographer was you. Anyway, here I am," he said with a smile, obviously having reached the end of his story. "Jasper will be here soon to help by the way, he just sent me to help get you started."

That's right she remembered now, the guys name was Jasper. He'd just started a removalist company and was looking for work. I guess hanging heavy pictures wasn't really in his repertoire but seeing as he had just started, I thought he probably took what he could get.

I was still having trouble believing that Edward was really sitting in front of me at that moment. However I made myself snap out of my disbelieving state and stood up.

Edward looked up at me expectantly.

"Well then Cullen, let's get you to work." I turned and walked away from him expecting him to follow.

I heard Edward laughed as he stood, "okay boss, lead the way".

I felt as though I was having an out of body experience, Edward Cullen was helping me hang photos in my first ever public display of them. The latter was surreal enough, but _Edward Cullen. _Oh. My. God. The guy I hadn't seen in seven years, the guy that had left without a single word, and the guy that I had....

"Bells...Bells?" I heard someone call. It was Edward. Speak of the devil.

I hadn't realised how deeply I was in my thoughts, "yeah?" I answered and turned to where his voice was coming from.

Edward was holding up one of the heaviest photos in my display it was a distorted picture of Times Square at night. It was another picture I was very proud of; the colours in it were amazing. But I'd had it blown up to about fifty by thirty inches and it was in a very heavy frame, I had no idea how he was lifting it.

"Edward put that down! You'll hurt your back!"

He just laughed at me, "would you relax, I'm here to do the heavy lifting remember?"

I relaxed, but only a little. I still didn't want him holding the picture up for longer than necessary. I told him where I wanted it and ten minutes later it was situated in the middle of the far wall of the gallery as you walked in. This meant it would be the first thing to catch people's eyes when they arrived.

Jasper had arrived just after Edward and the two of them had been working solidly since. It was now two o'clock and I insisted that they stop for some lunch.

While the two of them left to get some food, I wondered around the gallery looking at my prints, I was very happy with how the display was coming along and I was sure that the way the Edward and Jasper were working, everything would be finished by tonight. I let out a sigh of relief at the thought. A very cheerful voice broke me out of my thoughts, "Bells, this looks amazing! I'm so proud of you," Alice said, I hadn't even heard her arrive.

"I figured that you may forget to eat today," she said with a knowing look, and holding up a takeout bag from our favourite sushi place.

With a closer look at my face, her expression changed, "what's wrong with you? You look like you've seen a ghost!"

I laughed almost hysterically, "I think I just spent the last few hours with one."

Alice looked at me with a confused look, "huh? Don't start getting all cryptic on me Bella, you know I can't handle it when you do."

I ignored her and said, "Ali, I could give you a million guesses about who has been helping me set up this morning and you would never get it."

Alice waited for me to continue, the curiosity in her face growing.

"Edward Cullen," was all I said.

And, "holy fuck," was Alice's immediate response. "What's that hell is that asshole doing here?" Alice wasn't Edward's biggest fan.

I spent the next few minutes filling Alice in on what had happened with Edward that morning.

"So what, he's like here for good now?" Alice asked.

"Yeah that's what it sounds like, I mean with his dad working at the hospital it seems like a pretty serious situation you know?" I replied, picking up a piece of California roll and putting in my mouth.

"So, what are you gonna do?"

I looked at her while I finished chewing as if I didn't know what she meant, "what do you mean what am I gonna do? I'm not going to do anything."

Alice waited for what she knew was coming.

"Ok I have no fucking idea what I'm gonna do," I said in exasperation, "I mean it's Edward Cullen! Why did he have to come here? I was here first I mean come on!" I got up and started pacing. "I mean knowing my luck I'm gonna run into him every single day and it's gonna drive me insane. Ali, he's been here only a few hours and already he's drive me made! I mean it's been seven years, and still his touch drives me crazy!"

Alice looked at me with wide eyes, "his touch?"

"I hugged him. Twice." I explained. "It was a hello!" I defended when I saw Alice's expression. I let out a heavy sigh, "what am I going to do Ali?"

However Alice didn't have chance to reply as the opening and closing of the gallery door announced the return of Edward and Jasper.

I looked at Alice, "be nice ok?"

Despite Alice's contempt for Edward she greeted him as though she had missed him the past several years, "Edward! I can't believe your here," she said giving him a kiss on the cheek.

"It's great to see you Ali," Edward replied. I saw Alice cringe, only people dear to Alice were able to call her Ali, that really restricted it to me, Rose and Alice's parents. I crossed my fingers that she would let it go this time.

Luckily however following her greeting Edward, Alice got very distracted by the tall blonde man standing next to Edward, "hello," she said cheerfully holding out her hand, "I'm Alice."

Jasper seemed clearly taken aback by the energy bundle that was my best friend; he however recovered quickly taking her hand and shaking it, "it's nice to meet you Alice, I'm Jasper."

The two continued to stare at each other, both of them still holding on to the others hand. Edward and I looked at each other amusedly realising that our two friends could possibly be spending a lot of time together in the near future. I guessed that Alice's guy from last night was now far from her mind.

After another moment of awkward silence I cleared my throat, "well now that everyone is introduced, I still have pictures to hang and a display to set up so...."

"Right, yeah of course," Jasper seemed embarrassed now that he had broken out of his Alice induced trance, "Edward let's get to work."

We watched the two of them walk away from us; I turned to Alice with one eyebrow raised.

"What?" she asked innocently. She started packing up the now empty sushi trays and talking at a million miles an hour. "Ok so we've got a mani and pedi booked for eleven tomorrow morning is that still ok? And I'll still do your hair for you tomorrow so I'll make sure that I've got everything I need once I get home tonight. Anyway I better get back to work and..."

"Alice, calm down, would you? I'll make sure he comes tomorrow night, how's that?" I said with a laugh.

"Make sure who comes?" she looked up at me innocently again and then gave in, "okay, okay, thanks Belly you're the best." She grinned at me cheekily, "he's really cute don't you think?"

I laughed, "go to work Al."

By six everything was hung up on the walls and it looked amazing, even if I did say so myself. The way I had presented it was that I done most of the prints in black and white and then occasionally made a colour one to draw your attention to it. It was a great effect and I was very proud of the finished product. This show was about four years in the making. I just had to keep my fingers crossed that the right kind of people came to see my work tomorrow night.

All the gallery staff had left and it was just Jasper, Edward and me left at the gallery.

"Thank-you so much for today you guys did an amazing job."

Jasper smiled, "it's not a problem really, your works amazing by the way."

I looked down embarrassed by his compliment, I felt the blush rising in my cheeks, "thank-you, that means a lot. If you just want to send the bill to my building I'll send you a check..."

"No, no, really I'm happy to have helped."

"No really, look you guys did a full day of work, and I know you've just started up your business, you can't afford to be doing stuff like this for free! Just send me the bill okay?"

Jasper looked embarrassed and appreciative at the same time, "okay thanks a lot Bella."

"Great," I said with a wide smile, happy that I won the argument. "Now you two have to come tomorrow night," I reached into my bag and pulled out two invites, giving one to each of them.

The guys waited while I went around the gallery and turned all the lights out. The three of us walked outside, once I had locked the door I turned to say good night. Jasper left saying he was meeting a friend, he gave Edward the key to his apartment so that he could go home.

It left me and Edward alone, "well I better get going, I've got a big day on tomorrow."

Edward looked at me and smiled, "yes you do, well I'll see you tomorrow night?"

I looked up at him, now with my shoes on I was nearly eye level with him, "you'll come?"

"Of course," he grinned.

"okay well I see you then, night Cullen," I smirked.

He laughed, "night Swan."

I made my way to the curb to hail a taxi but I missed the uneven bit of pavement that my heel got stuck in so I dropped by bag and the three folders of negatives I was holding, the contents of my bag now littered the pavement.

"Shit," I muttered under my breath as I knelt to pick all of my stuff up.

Edward was by my side in an instance to help, he was barely able to contain his laugh, "still as clumsy as ever hey Swan?"

"Shut your face Cullen," I replied wittily.

Edward just continued to laugh.

Eventually I had put myself back together and was ready to go.

I walked away from Edward, being very careful where I stepped and wondered how the hell I was gonna survive with him in town.

I finally got a cab, and got home. I walked in the door, kicked off my shoes and looked across at Alice who was occupying the chair in our living room, "I'm fucked."

_And?_

_What do you think?_

_Review please:-)_


End file.
